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KAIST Brings the Era of Microbial Cell Factories One Step Closer
The era of "biomanufacturing", in which microbes, not petroleum, produce chemical products, is one step closer. A KAIST research team has analyzed the key challenges limiting the commercialization of biomanufacturing and proposed an AI-driven strategy for industrialization.
KAIST (President Choongsik Bae) announced on the 14th of July that a research team led by Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has comprehensively analyzed the key bottlenecks to commercializing biomanufacturing and proposed an industrialization strategy and a roadmap for future growth to address them.
Most chemical products today — including plastics, textiles, and pharmaceutical raw materials — are produced from petroleum. But as concerns over carbon emissions and environmental pollution grow, biomanufacturing, which uses microbes to produce chemicals, is drawing attention as a next-generation manufacturing technology. Still, scaling up lab-developed technologies into economically viable mass production at actual factories remains a major challenge.
Systems metabolic engineering, a core technology in biomanufacturing, designs and optimizes microbial metabolic pathways to build "microbial cell factories" that produce desired chemicals. But technologies that show high productivity in the lab often perform worse once moved to industrial settings — productivity drops, production costs rise, and many fail to achieve price competitiveness, ultimately failing to commercialize.
The research team analyzed succinic acid, a bio-based chemical feedstock, and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a biodegradable plastic, as representative cases illustrating this "gap between the lab and industry," often called the "valley of death."
Succinic acid is a key raw material for producing eco-friendly plastics and various chemical materials. The team explained that for succinic acid to compete with existing petrochemical products, competitiveness depends not just on production volume, but also on raw material and separation/purification costs, the fermentation process, and market size — all of which must be weighed together. The team also suggested that a phased strategy — entering high-value markets such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food ingredients first — could be a realistic solution.
PHA is a biodegradable plastic that microbes accumulate inside their cells, an eco-friendly material that breaks down naturally in the environment after use. But PHA is currently less price-competitive than conventional plastics due to high production and recovery costs, and its intrinsic material properties pose a separate barrier: the archetypal polymer P(3HB) is highly crystalline, becomes brittle with age, and has a narrow window between its melting and decomposition temperatures, meaning PHAs are generally not suitable as direct "drop-in" replacements.The team found that a phased approach is needed — simplifying the production process and first applying it to high-value fields such as medical applications and food packaging before expanding into general-purpose markets.
The team predicted that artificial intelligence will become a key to industrializing biomanufacturing going forward. AI can optimize the entire biomanufacturing process — from enzyme and microbial design to digital twins that virtually simulate production processes, and technologies that simultaneously analyze economic feasibility and environmental impact. The team explained that this can shorten development timelines, reduce production costs, and increase the likelihood of successful commercialization.
The team also proposed that techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) should be applied as design criteria from the earliest stages of research, rather than as evaluations conducted only after research is complete. The team further emphasized that supply chain resilience — accounting for raw material availability and shifts in the international landscape — should be considered a new design standard for biomanufacturing.
This study is significant not for developing a new production technology, but for comprehensively analyzing the conditions for successful biomanufacturing industrialization and presenting an industrialization roadmap spanning the entire cycle — from securing raw materials to microbial design, fermentation, separation and purification, and market entry. The team expects the study to accelerate the commercialization of the bio-based chemical industry and, over the long term, contribute to shifting the petroleum-centered chemical industry toward an eco-friendly bioeconomy.
The paper, with Ji Yeon Kim and Hye Eun Yu as co-first authors, both Ph.D. candidates in KAIST's Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, was published online on May 30 in the international journal Nature Communications.
※ Paper title: Beyond petrochemicals: challenges and opportunities in industrial-scale biomanufacturing
※ DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-73835-1
※ Authors: Ji Yeon Kim (KAIST, co-first author), Hye Eun Yu (KAIST, co-first author), Min Ho Kim (KAIST), Sang Yup Lee (KAIST, corresponding author)
This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea, funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT, through the “Development of Platform Technologies of Microbial Cell Factories for Next-Generation Biorefineries” project (Project No. 2022M3J5A1056117) and the “Development of Advanced Synthetic Biology Source Technologies for Leading the Biomanufacturing Industry” project (Project No. RS-2024-00399424).
2026.07.14 View 953 -
KAIST Produces Eco-Friendly Core Nylon Precursors Used from Clothing to Automobiles with Microbes
<(From Left) Dr. Da-Hee Ahn, Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee>
Nylon is a representative plastic material used throughout our daily lives, from clothing to automobiles. However, most of its raw materials have been produced through petrochemical processes, resulting in large carbon emissions. KAIST researchers have developed a technology that can produce key nylon precursors in an eco-friendly way using microbes.
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 31st of May that a research team led by Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has developed an Escherichia coli-based modular platform capable of producing three key monomers (basic molecular units that make up polymers) of “nylon 6,6” and “nylon 6” — adipic acid, hexamethylenediamine, and epsilon-caprolactam — from “glycerol (an eco-friendly bio-based byproduct generated during biodiesel production),” a renewable carbon source, using systems metabolic engineering (a technology that designs and optimizes microbial metabolic pathways to maximize the production of desired substances).
“Nylon 6” is highly flexible and is used in clothing and films, while “nylon 6,6” has excellent strength and heat resistance and is used in automobiles and machinery parts. The numbers after the nylon name indicate the number of carbon atoms contained in the raw material molecules.
The core of this study is that the biosynthetic pathway was divided into upstream and downstream modules, with E. coli strains assigned different roles. The upstream strain was designed to produce adipic acid from glycerol, while the downstream strain was designed to convert it into hexamethylenediamine or epsilon-caprolactam, respectively. Through this, the research team succeeded in producing adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine, the key raw materials of nylon 6,6, and epsilon-caprolactam, the key raw material of nylon 6, within a single integrated platform.
To improve production efficiency, the researchers compared and validated various enzymes (proteins that promote chemical reactions in living organisms), including carboxylic acid reductases and transaminases, and applied the optimal combination, thereby improving hexamethylenediamine titer. In addition, in the epsilon-caprolactam production process, they designed a flexible-linker fusion enzyme that enhances reaction efficiency through efficient cofactor regeneration.In the upstream module, the team reconstructed the biosynthetic pathway (a series of reaction processes through which compounds are produced in living organisms) and improved the performance of key enzymes using artificial intelligence (AI), increasing production titer. As a result, they succeeded in producing adipic acid at a level of 6 grams per liter (g/L) in a fed-batch fermentation process.
The research team also applied a “delayed inoculation” strategy (time-staggered co-culture), in which the second strain is introduced later after sufficient adipic acid has first been produced, rather than adding the two types of E. coli simultaneously. This is a method of sequentially introducing microbes with different roles at different times.
When this strategy was applied to a fed-batch fermentation process (a fermentation method that increases productivity by supplying nutrients step by step), the team produced 230 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of hexamethylenediamine and 808 micrograms per liter (μg/L) of epsilon-caprolactam using only glycerol. Although the production amounts are not yet high, the research team explained that these results represent world-class performance among cases of direct production from glycerol.
<Schematic Diagram>
This technology is significant in that it presents the possibility of producing nylon raw materials, which have relied on petrochemical processes, through bio-based methods.
The research team plans to further improve titer by combining AI-based enzyme design with additional systems metabolic engineering, and to expand the platform to produce various polymer raw materials (substances formed by the repeated bonding of multiple monomers).
Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee stated, “This study is meaningful in that it presents a modular microbial platform capable of producing key monomers required for nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 production from renewable carbon sources,” adding, “We will continue to advance enzyme and metabolic flux engineering to improve titer and develop this into a core platform for sustainably producing various bio-based polymer raw materials.”
The results of this study were published on May 4 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), with Dr. Da-Hee Ahn of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering as the first author.
※ Paper title: “Metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for the biosynthesis of nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 monomers”
Authors: Sang Yup Lee (KAIST, corresponding author), Da-Hee Ahn (KAIST, first author), Tong Un Chae (KAIST, second author), total of 3 authors
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2535786123
This research was supported by the “Development of Platform Technologies of Microbial Cell Factories for the Next-Generation Biorefineries” project under the Petroleum Replacement Eco-Friendly Chemical Technology Development Program supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT, and by the “Development of Advanced Synthetic Biology Source Technologies for Leading the Biomanufacturing Industry” project under the Core Synthetic Biology Technology Development Program.
2026.06.01 View 1702 -
KAIST Hosts 2026 DCM, Expanding Connections Between Tech Entrepreneurship and Investment
On May 21, KAIST held a meeting with representatives from venture capital (VC) firms at the KI Building to strengthen the entrepreneurship and technology commercialization capabilities of its faculty members.
The event, hosted by the Institute for Technology Value Creation, was part of the "Department Capital Meeting (DCM)" initiative. DCM serves as a platform to build networks through regular exchanges between faculty members and VCs. Launched in November 2021, the program operates to encourage a spirit of challenge and provide practical capability support for faculty members interested in startup ventures and technology commercialization.
Marking its 8th iteration, this year's event was attended by key investment institutions, including Atinum Investment, Base Investment, Bluepoint Partners, Company K Partners, Korea Development Bank (KDB), LB Investment, Future Science & Technology Holding, Kakao Ventures, KAIST Venture Investment, and The Wells Investment.
From KAIST, a total of 10 faculty members participated, including Professor Yoon Ki Kim (Department of Biological Sciences), Professor Jin-Soo Kim (Graduate School of Engineering Biology), Professor Jeong Young Park (Department of Chemistry), Professor Hoon Sohn (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering), Professor Seong Joon Oh (Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI), Professor Gwangrog Lee (Department of Biological Sciences), Professor Donghwan Lee (School of Electrical Engineering), Professor Sang Yup Lee (Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering), Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho (Department of Bio and Brain Engineering), and Professor Dong-Soo Har (Cho Chun Shik Graduate School of Mobility).
During the event, customized discussions took place tailored to each faculty member's stage of entrepreneurship. Faculty members who have already founded startups engaged in in-depth discussions with VCs, focusing on attracting investment and business expansion strategies. Meanwhile, those preparing to launch startups received consulting on business idea validation and execution strategies. Furthermore, a wide range of opinions were shared on various technology commercialization methods, including technology entrepreneurship, discovering new industries, technology transfer, and strategic investment partnerships.
Geon Jae Lee, Director of the Institute for Technology Value Creation, who oversaw the event, stated, "We are seeing a continuous stream of faculty startup cases that have led to actual investments through DCM. Moving forward, we expect to further expand KAIST's technology commercialization achievements based on close cooperation between VCs and our faculty members."
2026.05.22 View 970 -
KAIST-Hanwha Solutions Establishes ‘Eco-Friendly Bio-Platform’ to Replace Petroleum-Derived Naphtha
<(From Left) Hyun Bae Bang, Cheon Woo Moon, Cindy Pricilia Surya Prabowo, Minjung Ki, Sang Yup Lee, Changhee Cho, (Upper Left) Jae Sung Cho, Namjin Jang>
KAIST announced on May 19th that the KAIST-Hanwha Solutions Future Technology Research Institute, has secured bio-technology capable of mass-producing eco-friendly raw materials for plastics and textiles using waste resources, offering an alternative to petroleum-derived naphtha.
Naphtha, an essential feedstock for the petrochemical industry, has faced sharp price increases and supply instability in recent years, driving demand for sustainable alternatives. The new technology, addresses both resource supply stability and environmental concerns simultaneously.
A study led by Distinguished Professor Sang-yup Lee of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering was published on May 12th in the journal Nature Chemical Engineering and has been selected as the cover paper for the May issue, a designation reserved for research achievements that represent the corresponding issue.
This platform uses ‘glycerol,’ a byproduct discarded during the biodiesel production process, as a raw material. The team engineered high-efficiency microorganisms to convert this waste into 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO), a key material for plastics and cosmetics, and optimized the fermentation process for industrial application. The research team succeeded in maintaining high production level even in a 300L pilot process, which serves as a test production stage before application in large-scale plant facilities, moving beyond the laboratory scale.
This study also used computer simulations to predict which genes to engineer, which resulted in improved production levels. The team also developed the fermentation system without antibiotic supplementation — a significant advance, as antibiotic use in industrial fermentation raises concerns about antimicrobial resistance and regulatory hurdles for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical applications.
< (AI Image) Microbial-based process for 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) production >
The achievement reflects a 10-year partnership between KAIST and Hanwha Solutions that began in November 2015, with researchers from both sides working together directly on the experiments. Through the KAIST-Hanwha Solutions Future Technology Research Institute, the collaboration has produced 6 patent applications and 13 published papers, standing as a representative model of industry-academic cooperation in South Korea.
< Schematic diagram of microbial-based metabolic engineering strategies for 1,3-PDO production >
※ Paper Title: High-titer, antibiotic-free, pilot-scale production of 1,3-propanediol by engineered Corynebacterium, DOI: 10.1038/s44286-026-00389-w
※ Authors: Jae Sung Cho (KAIST, First Author), Cindy Pricilia Surya Prabowo (KAIST, First Author), Taehee Han (KAIST), Cheon Woo Moon (KAIST), Yoo-Sung Ko (KAIST), Changhee Cho (Hanwha Solutions), Je Woong Kim (KAIST), Won Jun Kim (Hanwha Solutions), Hyun Bae Bang (Hanwha Solutions), Jae Eun Lee (KAIST), Minjung Ki (KAIST), Namjin Jang (Hanwha Solutions), Sang Yup Lee (KAIST, Corresponding Author)
Jung-dae Kim, Head of the Research Institute at Hanwha Solutions, said, “This research is highly significant in that it confirmed the possibility of replacing existing petrochemical processes using bio-based raw materials. We expect it to be an important foundation for sustainable chemical material production and industrial application in the future.”
KAIST Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering stated, “This research is a case showing that microorganism-based chemical production can be sufficiently expanded to an actual industrial scale beyond the laboratory. It will contribute to producing various chemical materials in a more eco-friendly way in the future.”
2026.05.19 View 2439 -
European Academy of Microbiology welcomes 95 new Fellows
<KAIST Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee>
The European Academy of Microbiology (EAM) is pleased to announce the election of 95 new Fellows, recognising scientific excellence and long-standing contributions to microbiology.
The newly elected Fellows represent a diverse range of expertise across microbiology and related disciplines, spanning institutions across Europe and beyond. Their work reflects the breadth and dynamism of the field, from fundamental microbial research to applied innovations addressing global challenges in health, environment, and biotechnology.
Election to the EAM Fellowship recognises outstanding scientific achievement and leadership in microbiology. Fellows are selected through a rigorous nomination and evaluation process by existing members of the Academy.
With the addition of these new Fellows in different areas of microbiology from Europe and beyond, the EAM continues to strengthen its network of leading microbiologists. As Fellows of the Academy, members are committed to advancing knowledge, fostering collaboration, and supporting the next generation of scientists. Together they promote the visibility, impact and rapid progress of microbiology across the world.
Reflecting strength and diversity of microbiology
Commenting on the election, the EAM President Prof. Cecília M. Arraiano said:
“We are delighted to welcome this new group of Fellows to the European Academy of Microbiology. Their achievements and expertise reflect the strength and diversity of microbiology. The Academy thrives through the engagement of its Fellows, and we look forward to the perspectives and contributions they will bring to shape the future of microbial science.”
See the full list of the newly elected Fellows.
About the European Academy of Microbiology (EAM)
The European Academy of Microbiology, is part of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) network, and brings together eminent microbiologists whose work has significantly advanced the field. Through the collective expertise of its Fellows, the Academy contributes to scientific dialogue, supports emerging priorities in microbiology, and helps amplify the impact of microbiological research for society.
2026.03.20 View 1780 -
Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee, Senior Vice President for Research, to Lead Industry-Academic-Research Cooperation in Synthetic Biology
< Sang Yup Lee, Senior Vice President for Research at KAIST (Inaugural Chairman of the Korea Synthetic Biology Association) >
KAIST announced on February 27th that Sang Yup Lee, Distinguished Professor of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Senior Vice President for Research, has been appointed as the inaugural chairman of the Korea Synthetic Biology Association (KSBA). This appointment was officially ratified during the association's 5th regular general meeting held on the 23rd.
The KSBA is a specialized consultative body established to promote cooperation in policy, industry, and research within the field of synthetic biology. Based on a network spanning industry, academia, research institutes, and government, the association supports the creation of a synthetic biology ecosystem as a national strategic technology and strengthens industrial competitiveness. It has contributed to the expansion of the domestic synthetic biology foundation through multifaceted activities such as policy proposals, international cooperation, human resource development, and industrial vitalization.
Through this appointment of the inaugural chairman, the association has established a unified leadership system and is set to formalize the operational foundation in line with the enforcement of the "Synthetic Biology Promotion Act."
At the general meeting, the 2025 business performance report was presented, and agendas for the ratification of the next chairman and the appointment of executives were resolved. Officials from the Ministry of Science and ICT also attended, expressing expectations for the association’s political role and future direction.
During the meeting, the ratification of Chairman Sang Yup Lee, who was elected by the Board of Directors in accordance with the articles of incorporation, was finally approved. Chairman Sang Yup Lee is a world-leading researcher who has pioneered the fields of synthetic biology and biotechnology. As the Senior Vice President for Research at KAIST, Head of the Metabolic Engineering National Research Laboratory, and Director of both the BioProcess Engineering Research Center and the Center for Synthetic Biology, he has led research innovation and the expansion of global cooperation. With this ratification, the KSBA has officially launched an integrated leadership system encompassing the establishment of mid-to-long-term strategies, strengthening industry-research links, and expanding global networks.
< Group photo of the Korea Synthetic Biology Association General Meeting (Chairman Sang Yup Lee, 5th from the bottom left) >
Chairman Sang Yup Lee stated, "Synthetic biology is a key strategic technology that will determine national competitiveness. We will ensure close cooperation between industry, academia, research, and government so that the purpose of laws and systems can lead to practical innovation in research and industrial fields."
Furthermore, the Board of Directors approved the appointment of directors and external auditors to enhance the accountability and transparency of organizational management, including Steering Committee Secretary Lee Seung-koo (Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology), as well as Park Han-oh (Bioneer), Kim장성 (Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology), Kim Dong-myung (Chungnam National University), Oh Min-kyu (Korea University), Cho Byung-kwan (KAIST), Yoon Hye-sun (Hanyang University), and Lee Do-heon (KAIST).
At this general meeting, the major contents of the "Synthetic Biology Promotion Act," scheduled for enforcement on April 23, and the corresponding legislative notice of the enforcement decree were shared. Prior to the enforcement of the law, the Ministry of Science and ICT prepared an enforcement decree specifying delegated matters and has been conducting a legislative notice for 40 days starting February 23. The enforcement decree includes: ▲Clarification of procedures for establishing the Basic Plan for Synthetic Biology Promotion and annual implementation plans ▲Establishment of standards for designating and operating research hubs and biofoundries ▲Materialization of safety management systems and inspection procedures.
The KSBA plans to actively pursue implementation strategies for each division so that the legislative intent of the enforcement decree can be practically realized in industrial and research fields.
The Policy and System Division will strengthen its policy advisory function to ensure that field opinions are reflected in the process of establishing basic and annual implementation plans. It will also continue to present directions for synthetic biology development and social infrastructure construction strategies through the ‘KSBA Policy Insight 2026’ report.
The Convergence Division aims to advance research systems based on data, AI, and automation to simultaneously secure research reliability and efficiency. It will also support the strengthening of technology standardization and safety management capabilities through the publication of convergence technology trend reports and the operation of workshops.
The Technology and Industry Division plans to specify industry-research linkage models that meet the standards for designating and operating research infrastructure such as biofoundries. It will also expand corporate cooperation networks to ensure that the implementation of the system leads to technology commercialization and manufacturing innovation.
The Education and Network Division will prepare a competition (IDEA-B) to discover next-generation talent and strengthen safety and ethics education to increase the accountability and expertise of synthetic biology research. Additionally, it plans to expand international cooperation to ensure that domestic systems harmonize with global norms.
The KSBA plans to further enhance the stability of organizational operations through this general meeting and expand its role as a hub institution connecting policy, industry, and research. In particular, under the unified leadership centered on Chairman Sang Yup Lee, it intends to serve as a bridge for private-public cooperation so that the intent of the "Synthetic Biology Promotion Act" can be practically implemented in the field.
< KSBA Policy Insight 2026 Report of the Korea Synthetic Biology Association >
2026.02.27 View 3154 -
Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee Receives the AIBN Translational Research Award from the University of Queensland, Australia
<Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee immediately after receiving the AIBN Medal (AIBN Translational Research Award)>
KAIST announced on February 9th that Sang Yup Lee, Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (and Vice President for Research), was presented with the AIBN Medal (AIBN Translational Research Award) on February 3rd (local time) at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), located at the University of Queensland (UQ) in Brisbane, Australia.
The AIBN Medal is awarded to recognize translational research achievements that extend biotechnological research into industrial and social value. It is often described as an award for "achievements that do not let research end in the laboratory." Rather than focusing solely on the number of papers or citations, the award prioritizes industrial applicability, technology dissemination, international cooperation, and social impact. It is a symbolic global award in the field of translational research presented by AIBN, a world-class research hub for synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and biomanufacturing. The medal was personally presented by Professor Sue Harrison, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Queensland.
<Professor Sue Harrison, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UQ, personally presenting the medal>
During his commemorative lecture, Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee spoke on the topic of "Systems Metabolic Engineering for Chemical Production," presenting a future vision for sustainable biomanufacturing and synthetic biology technologies.
<Vice President for Research giving the award lecture on Systems Metabolic Engineering for Chemical Production>
For approximately 32 years at KAIST, Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee has pioneered research in metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and systems biotechnology. To date, he has accumulated world-class research achievements, including 798 papers in international journals, 868 patents (registered and filed), over 3,000 presentations at domestic and international conferences, and approximately 690 keynote and invited lectures.
Furthermore, he has contributed to establishing the academic framework of the field through numerous publications, such as Metabolic Engineering, Systems Biology and Biotechnology of Escherichia coli, and Systems Metabolic Engineering.
In its official announcement, AIBN stated the background for the award: "Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee is a world-renowned scholar in the field of systems metabolic engineering who has made continuous and meaningful contributions not only to academic influence but also to the University of Queensland and the Australian research ecosystem." Notably, Professor Lee played a key role in establishing research strategies during the early days of AIBN (2006–2007). His collaboration has since expanded from sugar-based biomanufacturing to synthetic aviation fuels and waste-gas fermentation-based bioprocessing.
This collaboration led to global joint research with entities such as Amyris (a US-based bio-chemical and fuel company), UC Berkeley, LanzaTech (a global leader in waste-gas fermentation), and SkyNRG (a Dutch company leading the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, SAF). These efforts served as a vital foundation for the University of Queensland to become Australia’s representative research hub in synthetic biology and systems metabolic engineering.
Professor Lee is an International Member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in the US, a Foreign Member of The Royal Society in the UK, and a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He also serves as the Co-Chair of the Global Future Council on Biotechnology for the World Economic Forum (WEF), continuing his international activities across academia, policy, and industry.
In his acceptance speech, Vice President Sang Yup Lee remarked, "I believe this AIBN Medal is not just an individual achievement, but the fruit of long-standing cooperation between researchers from KAIST, UQ, and Korea and Australia. It is a meaningful award that demonstrates how research in systems metabolic engineering and synthetic biology can lead to solutions for sustainable industry and social issues." He added, "Moving forward, I will continue to strengthen global research cooperation and translational research to ensure that biotechnology provides tangible value to human life."
KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee commented, "This award goes beyond the personal excellence of Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee; it is a case where KAIST’s research capabilities and international cooperation strategies have been recognized globally. KAIST will continue to lead translational research where results spread to industry and society, contributing to the sustainable bio-industry and the resolution of global challenges through cooperation with global partners."
Meanwhile, Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee was originally named the inaugural recipient of the 1st AIBN Medal in 2016. However, the official ceremony was delayed due to scheduling conflicts and the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to his attendance and formal receipt of the award nearly 10 years later.
2026.02.09 View 2804 -
KAIST Proposes AI-Driven Strategy to Solve Long-Standing Mystery of Gene Function
<(From Left) Distinguisehd Professor Sang Yup Lee, Dr. Gi Bae Kim, Professor Bernhard O. Palsson>
“We know the genes, but not their functions.” To resolve this long-standing bottleneck in microbial research, a joint research team has proposed a cutting-edge research strategy that leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drastically accelerate the discovery of microbial gene functions.
KAIST announced on January 12th that a research team led by Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, in collaboration with Professor Bernhard Palsson from the Department of Bioengineering at UCSD, has published a comprehensive review paper. The study systematically analyzes and organizes the latest AI-based research approaches aimed at revolutionizing the speed of gene function discovery.
Since the early 2000s, when whole-genome sequencing became a reality, there were high expectations that the genetic blueprint of life would be fully decoded. However, even twenty years later, the roles of a significant portion of genes within microbial genomes remain unknown.
While various experimental methods—such as gene deletion, analysis of gene expression profiles, and in vitro activity assays—have been employed, discovering gene functions remains a time-consuming and costly endeavor. This is primarily due to the limitations of large-scale experimentation, complex biological interactions, and the discrepancy between laboratory results and actual in vivo responses.
To overcome these hurdles, the research team emphasized that an AI-driven approach combining computational biology with experimental biology is essential.
In this paper, the team provides a comprehensive overview of computational biology approaches that have facilitated gene function discovery, ranging from traditional sequence similarity analysis to the latest deep-learning-based AI models.
Notably, 3D protein structure prediction technologies such as AlphaFold (developed by Google DeepMind) and RoseTTAFold (developed by the University of Washington) have opened new doors. These tools go beyond simple functional estimation, offering the potential to understand the underlying mechanisms of how gene functions operate. Furthermore, generative AI is now extending research boundaries toward designing proteins with specifically desired functions.
Focusing on transcription factors (proteins that act as genetic switches) and enzymes (proteins that catalyze chemical reactions), the team presented various application cases and future research directions that integrate gene sequence analysis, protein structure prediction, and diverse metagenomic analyses.
<Schematic illustration of computational biology methods for enzyme function prediction>
2026.01.12 View 3657 -
A KAIST team develops the world's first modular co-culture platform for the one-pot production of rainbow-colored bacterial cellulose.
<(From Left) Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee, Ph.D candidate Pingxin Lin, Ph.D candiate Zhou Hengrui>
The integration of systems metabolic engineering with co-culture strategies that couples bacterial cellulose production with natural colorant biosynthesis enabled the one-pot generation of rainbow-colored bacterial cellulose, establishing a sustainable biomanufacturing platform that can replace petroleum-based textiles and eliminate chemical dyeing processes.
A research group at KAIST has successfully developed a modular co-culture platform for the one-pot production of rainbow-colored bacterial cellulose. The team, led by Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, engineered Komagataeibacter xylinus for bacterial cellulose synthesis and Escherichia coli for natural colorants overproduction. A co-culture of these engineered strains enabled the in situ coloration of bacterial cellulose. This research offers a versatile platform for producing living materials in multiple colors, and provides new opportunities for sustainable textiles, wearable biomaterials, and functional living materials that combine optical and structural properties beyond the reach of conventional textile technologies.
Bacterial cellulose is an attractive and biodegradable alternative to petroleum-derived fabrics due to its high purity, mechanical strength, and water-retention properties. However, the limited color range of bacterial cellulose, which is typically white, has limited its broader application in the textile industry, where more vibrant colored fabrics are increasingly desired. Conventional dyeing methods rely on petroleum-based colorants and toxic reagents, creating environmental and processing challenges. These challenges have driven the demand for alternative production methods.
To address these issues, KAIST researchers, including Ph.D. Candidate Hengrui Zhou, Ph.D. Candidate Pingxin Lin, Professor Ki Jun Jeong, and Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee, combined systems metabolic engineering with co-culture strategies to develop a bio-based route that integrates bacterial cellulose formation with natural pigment synthesis, enabling the production of colored living materials in a single step without additional chemical processing.
The team’s work, entitled “One-pot production of colored bacterial cellulose,” was published in Trends in Biotechnology on November 12,2025.
This research details the one-pot production of multicolored bacterial cellulose using a modular co-culture platform that integrates a bacterial cellulose-overproducing K. xylinus strain with natural colorant-producing E. coli strains. The team focused on addressing the limitations in bacterial cellulose coloration caused by environmental challenges and complex processing requirements. By employing vesicle engineering and optimizing co-culture parameters, the researchers achieved one-pot production of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, navy, and purple bacterial cellulose, eliminating the need for external dyes and toxic chemical treatments.
To enhance dyeing efficiency, E. coli strains were engineered for the overproduction and secretion of natural colorants. It was determined that the intracellular accumulation of these pigments disrupts cellular metabolism and physiology, thereby inhibiting their production. To overcome this limitation, vesicle engineering has emerged as a key strategy to mitigate these cytotoxic effects, including the induction of inner- and outer-membrane vesicles and the modulation of cell morphology, enabling the more efficient secretion of colorants and increased overall production. The engineered E. coli strains were optimized in fed-batch fermentation, achieving record-breaking production of 16.92 ± 0.10 g/L of deoxyviolacein, 8.09 ± 0.17 g/L of violacein, 1.82 ± 0.07 g/L of proviolacein, and 936.25 ± 9.70 mg/L of prodeoxyviolacein, the highest reported titers to date for all four violacein derivatives.
< Figure 1. Rainbow-colored bacterial cellulose (microbial fiber) with applied color >
A co-culture platform combining the K. xylinus with E. coli strains was further developed and optimized, enabling the in situ one-pot coloration of bacterial cellulose in vibrant green, blue, navy, and purple. Fed-batch fermentation further improved the performance of the platform, achieving the world-first one-pot production of multicolored bacterial cellulose on a larger scale. To expand the bacterial cellulose color palette, engineered carotenoid-producing E. coli strains were incorporated, enabling the successful synthesis of red, orange, and yellow bacterial cellulose. This milestone demonstrates the potential of microbial fermentation as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based textile processes.
“We can anticipate that this microbial cell factory-based one-pot production of rainbow-colored bacterial cellulose has the potential to replace current petroleum-based textile processes,” said Ph.D. Candidate Hengrui Zhou. “The systems metabolic engineering strategies developed in this study could be broadly applied for the production of diverse sustainable textiles, wearable biomaterials, and functional living materials that combine optical and structural properties beyond the capabilities of conventional textile technologies.” He added, “This platform reduces the environmental impact while greatly expanding design possibilities. Beyond serving as a proof-of-concept, this technology offers a promising route toward scalable, eco-friendly fabrics with in situ coloration. Its modular design allows the incorporation of diverse natural colorant pathways, enabling the creation of living materials in multiple colors.”
< Figure 2. Schematic of a microbe-based platform for one-step production of rainbow-colored bacterial cellulose >
“As demand for sustainable textiles and living materials continues to grow, we expect that the integrated biomanufacturing platform developed here will play a pivotal role in producing diverse functional biomaterials with additional design possibilities in a single step, without additional chemical processing,” explained Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee.
This work was supported by the Development of Next-generation Biorefinery Platform Technologies for Leading Bio-based Chemicals Industry project (2022M3J5A1056072) and the Development of Platform Technologies of Microbial Cell Factories for the Next-generation Biorefineries project (2022M3J5A1056117) from the National Research Foundation supported by the Korean Ministry of Science and ICT.
Source:
Hengrui Zhou (1st), Pingxin Lin (2nd), Ki Jun Jeong (3rd), and Sang Yup Lee (Corresponding). “One-pot production of colored bacterial cellulose”. Trends in Biotechnology (Published) doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.09.019
2025.11.19 View 4763 -
Four KAIST Scholars Named to the 2025 Highly Cited Researchers List
Four members of KAIST including Distinguished Professor Sang Yup LEE, have been selected for the '2025 Highly Cited Researchers (HCR)' list announced by Clarivate Plc, a global academic information analysis company in the United States.
HCR is a program that identifies researchers who show top 1% influence in their respective fields based on the citation frequency of papers included in Web of Science, and it is utilized as an important indicator in the evaluation of world universities and research institutions. Clarivate announced the final list this year after verifying the excellence of research performance and academic influence through rigorous qualitative and quantitative reviews.
This year, the following professors from KAIST were selected: Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Professor Jin-Soo Kim* from the Graduate School of Engineering Biology in the field of Biology and Biochemistry; and Professor Bumjoon Kim and Professor Jangwon Seo from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in the Cross-Field category.
* Professor Jin-Soo Kim is currently listed under Edgene on the HCR list, and the affiliation is scheduled to be updated to KAIST at the end of December.
< KAIST Faculty List Selected as HCR (The total number of selected researchers is 6,868, but the total number of entries by field is 7,131, as the same researchers were selected simultaneously in multiple Cross-Field categories.) >
The Cross-Field category was established to recognize researchers who have demonstrated influence across multiple fields, going beyond a single academic area. Its importance is growing with the spread of convergence research, and it is evaluated as an indicator showing that a researcher has diverse academic impact.
This year, a total of 6,868 researchers from over 1,300 institutions in 60 countries worldwide were named HCR, and a total of 76 researchers from 12 fields were selected in South Korea. While several institutions in South Korea produced HCRs, KAIST produced its HCR selectees based on globally recognized research achievements in the fields of Bioengineering, Biotechnology, and Convergence.
2025.11.14 View 2642 -
AI Opens a New Era in Medical Science and Bio
< (From left) KAIST Professors Yoonjae Choi, Tae-Kyun Kim, Jong Chul Ye, Hyunwoo Kim, Seunghoon Hong, Sang Yup Lee >
KAIST announced on the 14th of November that it has been selected as a major participating institution in the 'Lunit Consortium' for the 'AI Specialized Foundation Model Development Project' supervised by the Ministry of Science and ICT, and has officially started developing an AI foundation model for the medical science and bio fields. Through this project, KAIST plans to develop an 'AI Foundation Model Specialized for Medical Science' that encompasses the entire lifecycle of bio and medical data, and lead the creation of an AI based life science innovation ecosystem. The 'Lunit Consortium' includes 7 companies-Lunit, Trillion Labs, Kakao Healthcare, Igenscience, SK Biopharm, and Rebellion-along with 9 medical and research institutions, including KAIST, Seoul National University, NYU, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, and Yonsei Severance Hospital. This consortium will be supported by 256 state of the art B200 GPUs to build and demonstrate a 'Chain of Evidence-Based Full-Cycle Medical Science AI Model', an AI system that connects and analyzes medical data from beginning to end, and a 'Multi-Agent Service', a system where multiple AIs collaborate to perform diagnosis and prediction. KAIST's participation in this project involves a joint research team formed by professors from the School of Computing and the Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI. Professors Yoonjae Choi, Tae-Kyun Kim, Jong Chul Ye, Hyunwoo Kim, and Seunghoon Hong will serve as the research team, and Vice President for Research Sang Yup Lee will take on an advisory role. The research team is not merely collecting data but they are establishing a strategy (L1~L7 stages) to precisely process and systematically manage medical and life science data so that the AI can actually learn and utilize it. Through this, they plan to develop and verify an AI model that connects and analyzes diverse life science data, including medical information, gene/protein data, and new drug candidates. The data the research team aims to integrate includes a wide range from language to actual patient treatment information. Specifically, L1 represents language data, L2 is the structure of molecules, L3 is proteins and antibodies, L4 is omics data encompassing genetic and protein information, L5 is drug information, L6 is medical science research and clinical data, and L7 is real-world clinical data obtained from actual hospitals. In essence, the data handled by the AI connects everything from speech and text to molecules, proteins, drugs, clinical research, and actual patient treatment information.
< The process of training AI by viewing X ray images and doctor's interpretation (text) together (MedViLL from Professor Jae-Yoon Choi' s lab) >
Vice President Sang Yup Lee is a world-renowned scholar in the fields of synthetic biology and systems metabolic engineering, leading the establishment of a bio manufacturing platform and policy advice through the convergence of life science, engineering, and AI. He advises on the analysis of life information (omics) such as genes and proteins and designs a feedback system for verifying experimental results, supporting the Korean-developed medical AI model to secure international reliability and competitiveness. Vice President Lee stated, "AI technology is breaking down the boundaries of life science and engineering, creating a new paradigm for knowledge creation," adding, "KAIST will utilize full cycle medical science data to accelerate the era where AI uncovers the causes of diseases and predicts treatments." KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee said, "KAIST will contribute to creating an AI-based life science innovation ecosystem, lead the innovation of national strategic industries through world-class AI-bio convergence research, and drive the progress of human health and science and technology." The model developed in the Lunit Consortium will be released as an Open License for commercial use, and is expected to expand into various medical and healthcare services such as national health chatbots. With this participation, KAIST plans to strengthen research on AI-based life science data infrastructure establishment, medical AI standardization, and AI ethics and policy advice, leading the AI transition of national bio and medical science research.
2025.11.14 View 3713 -
Professor Sang Yup Lee Selected as IETI 'Laureate Distinguished Fellow'
<Professor Sang Yup Lee of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering>
Professor Sang Yup Lee of KAIST Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has been selected as a 'Laureate Distinguished Fellow,' the highest rank of fellow, by the International Engineering and Technology Institute (IETI).
Professor Lee is a globally renowned biotechnologist who has been leading research on the sustainable production of bio-based chemicals, and he received the 'ENI Award' in 2018. With this selection, he stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the world's top scholars, including recipients of the Nobel, Fields, and Turing Prizes.
IETI is an international academic organization established in Hong Kong in 2015 to promote innovation and international cooperation in the fields of engineering, technology, and science. Each year, the institute selects researchers with significant academic influence worldwide and appoints them into three grades: Laureate Distinguished Fellow, Distinguished Fellow, and Fellow. Professor Lee has been named to the most prestigious grade among these.
<IETI 2025 Fellow Selection Photo>
A total of 70 new fellows were selected in 2025. Among them, 14 individuals were named Laureate Distinguished Fellows, which includes recipients of top honors such as the Nobel, Fields, and Turing Prizes. Besides Professor Lee, this group includes Dudley Herschbach of Harvard University (Nobel Prize in Chemistry), Vint Cerf of Google (Turing Award), and Shigefumi Mori of Kyoto University (Fields Medal).
IETI stated that the selection process involved a rigorous five-step procedure: nomination, qualification review, document screening, expert voting, and final evaluation. It also expressed hope that the newly appointed fellows will demonstrate academic leadership in their respective research fields and contribute to global scientific and technological innovation and the promotion of international cooperation.
2025.11.10 View 3470